Stopped Reclassification of Shoreline in Rhode Island

The Surfrider Foundation advocates actions to promote long-term beach preservation for the benefit of the public. In high erosion areas such as Matunuck, RI, Surfrider does not support the installation of hard stabilization or sand retention structures along the coastline. Such structures can temporarily protect existing coastline development but have no place in beach preservation.

The Town of South Kingstown had petitioned the Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) to 1) allow for the construction of a sheet pile wall to protect Matunuck Beach Road from erosion; and 2) re-classify a portion of the existing coast as man-made to allow for seawalls to be built. While the smaller seawall was approved to protect the public infrastructure, the CRMC did not reclassify the shoreline, thereby preventing future expansion of seawalls.